Starry, starry night

Pause for a moment to look at this night sky over the tiny island of Ynys Enlli (also known as Bardsey Island), in north Wales. Throughout the millennia, star-filled skies have reminded us of the vastness of the universe and of our connection to nature.

Now, street and indoor lighting are making such sights rare, which is why the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) is creating international dark-sky sanctuaries. Ynys Enlli is the first of these sanctuaries in Europe. Its mountainous terrain creates a barrier to light from the mainland in the east, and the next source of light in the west is Dublin, 112 kilometres away.

Mari Huws, who lives on Ynys Enlli, helped in the qualification process. She told the IDA: "I am always in awe of the island's beauty - and the night sky is very much a part of that."

Established as a charity in 1988, the IDA aims to "preserve and protect the night-time environment and our heritage of dark skies... ." Setting up dark-sky sanctuaries, parks, reserves and communities around the world is part of the work of the IDA. It took years for Ynys Enlli to qualify.